Serach bat Asher

Source Sheet by Caroline Morganti


 

Genesis 46:17

(17) Asher’s sons: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, and Beriah, and their sister Serah. Beriah’s sons: Heber and Malchiel.

בראשית מ״ו:י״ז

(יז) וּבְנֵ֣י אָשֵׁ֗ר יִמְנָ֧ה וְיִשְׁוָ֛ה וְיִשְׁוִ֥י וּבְרִיעָ֖ה וְשֶׂ֣רַח אֲחֹתָ֑ם וּבְנֵ֣י בְרִיעָ֔ה חֶ֖בֶר וּמַלְכִּיאֵֽל׃


 

Numbers 26:46

(46) The name of Asher’s daughter was Serah.—

במדבר כ״ו:מ״ו

(מו) וְשֵׁ֥ם בַּת־אָשֵׁ֖ר שָֽׂרַח׃


 

Serach is mentioned in the Torah as a daughter of Asher (one of the sons of Yaakov/Jacob). As one of few women mentioned in genealogical listings, but with no other information in the Tanakh about her, Jewish tradition has filled this gap in information through midrash.

In many midrashim1, Serach is presented a wise woman who, by virtue of having been around for so long, can offer insight to Jewish leaders based on her lived experiences. Some examples (there are quite a few more):

  • She identifies Moses as the person who would help liberate the Israelites from slavery.

  • She is able to tell Moses where Joseph's bones were buried (so the Israelites can take them with them to re-bury in Eretz Yisrael, as was his wish.)

  • She is identified with a "wise woman" mentioned in the second book of Samuel who convinces Yoav, a general of King David, not to destroy a certain city.

  • She is even identified as one of the people who entered Gan Eden alive (alongside others such as Eliyahu/Elijah and Batya, Pharaoh's daughter). 

Below is a midrash in which she talks about her experience witnessing the splitting of the sea as the Israelites left Egypt. 




 

Pesikta d'Rav Kahana, Beshalach 11:13

R' Yochanan was sitting in the beit midrash and expounding the verse (Ex. 14:22): “the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.” How could the water become as a wall? R' Yochanan expounded that it was a sort of [impervious] net. Serach appeared and said: “I was there, and the water was not as a net, but as transparent windows”

פסיקתא דרב כהנא, ויהי בשלח יא, יג

ר' יוחנן היה יושב בבית המדרש ודורש את מעשה קריעת ים סוף 'והמים להם חומה מימינם ומשמאלם' (שמות יד, כב). דרש ר' יוחנן: כיצד היו המים עשויים כחומה? כמעין שבכה [אטומה]. השקיפה סרח בת אשר ואמרה: אני הייתי שם, ולא היו עשויים אלא כמו חלונות מאירים [שקופים]" 2 


 

How does Serach's account of the splitting of the sea (in which the sea was like transparent windows) change your view of the event? I have heard it suggested (by a rabbi of mine3) that this allowed the Israelites to see the Egyptians drowning as they walked to freedom. 

How might coming face-to-face with the death of one's oppressors (even as they are pursuing you) change one's view of freedom? 

How does this compare to the Israelites' experiences of the other plagues (in which the Egyptians also suffered, but the Israelites -- arguably -- didn't face the suffering of the Egyptians in such a direct way)? 

1 Thanks to the Jewish Women's Archive for the information about Serach in various midrashim. See https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/serah-daughter-of-asher-midrash-and-aggadah 

2 Hebrew text from http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/tanach/tora/mafteah-2.htm and English translation adapted from Jewish Women's Archive website above

3 Thanks to Rabbi Michelle Fisher for this insight



Source Sheet created on Sefaria by Caroline Morganti


haggadah Section: Maggid - Beginning
Source: Caroline Morganti